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Tsipras sees end to 'yoke' of memorandum as poll data reveals SYRIZA dominance

SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras says his party aims to free Greeks from the “yoke of the [EU-IMF] memorandum, as poll data shows the leftists are dominant in most age and professional groups.

Continuing his tour of Latin America in Argentina, Tsipras issued a Christmas message in which he reaffirmed SYRIZA’s commitment to cancelling the terms of Greece’s bailout if the leftist party comes to power.

Tsipras denied that he was visiting Brazil and Argentina to find an economic model for Greece to follow.

“It may seem strange to you but we feel like scientists in medieval times,” he said. “Of course, we are not saying that the earth rotates but something equally obvious: austerity is destructive.

“We are certain, though, that the enlightenment will defeat the medieval times and hope will defeat fear.”

Meanwhile, details of an opinion poll published by Metron Analysis earlier this month show that SYRIZA is the most popular party in all age groups apart from retirees and among most professional groups.

The survey gave SYRIZA 22 percent of the vote and New Democracy 19.8 but a more detailed analysis published by Efimerida ton Syntakton on Monday indicated that the leftists are dominant in most groups.

Support for SYRIZA is strongest in the 18-24 and 55-64 age groups, where it reaches 28.8 and 26.3 percent respectively. New Democracy’s main support is in the 65+ group, where backing for the conservatives runs at 35.5 percent.

SYRIZA is also the dominant force among civil servants, private sector workers and the unemployed, where support for the leftists reaches 22.6, 25,1 and 27.5 percent respectively.

New Democracy is most popular among farmers, where its backing reaches 29 percent.